SCSU goalie Alder enjoys Olympic experience

Switzerland players celebrate after the preliminary round of the women's hockey game against the combined Koreas at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. Switzerland won 8-0.(Photo11: AP photo)

GANGNEUNG, South Korea — St. Cloud State sophomore Janine Alder had a front-row seat to history Saturday, as her women’s hockey team from Switzerland defeated the unified Korean team in front of an emotional, flag-waving crowd that included IOC President Thomas Bach, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and , Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.

“It was a great experience,” Alder said. “It was a solemn experience. After the game, all the Korean players and the Korean people were so kind.”

Alder is at her second Olympics, her first since she started playing for St. Cloud State. She was a part of the Swiss team that stunned Russia and Sweden in Sochi to win a bronze medal.

Janine Alder(Photo11: Courtesy of St. Cloud State University)

“When you do something for the first time, everything is a big surprise,” Alder said. “This time I feel way more conscious about the whole experience and way more comfortable, too.”

Alder is teammates with Florence Schelling, one of the more accomplished goalies in the history of the women’s game. As a consequence, she is not expecting to get any starts at the tournament, but she treasures the experience just the same.

“Of course, every player likes to play, but it’s an opportunity since every day I can see her practice, see her play,” she said. “Just being here, to feel the Olympic spirit, and just skating on this ice, is something I’ll never forget.”

Alder marched in the Opening Ceremony and was the backup for the historic game against Korea, which Switzerland won, 8-0.

Lara Stalder, of Switzerland, scores a goal against South Korea's goalie Shin So-jung and Cho Mihwan, of the combined Koreas team, during the third period of the preliminary round of the women's hockey game at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea.(Photo11: AP photo)

The North Korean cheerleaders were in attendance for that game. Thousands of other fans waved small “unification” flags. But Switzerland — the sixth-ranked team in the world — dominated the proceedings, outshooting Korea, 52-8.

The next game was less eventful, a workmanlike 3-1 win over Japan on Monday, with a game against Sweden coming up next.

Alder isn’t taking the semester off to play in the Olympics. She may be one of the few athletes in the Olympic Village who spends spare moments studying.

“I’m a full-time student right now, I’m taking four different classes, two in my major which is mass communications and journalism,” she said. “While I’m here I really like to talk to journalists and see what questions they’re going to ask.”

Alder is also following the fortunes of her other team, back in the United States, and is thrilled with how that is going, too.

Janine Alder prepares to make a saveat the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. Alder, from Zurich, Switzerland, is playing on the Swiss women's hockey team during the Olympics.(Photo11: Courtesy of Maddie MacFarlane, St. Cloud State University)

“They just swept Bemidji on the road!” she said. “First road sweep. I am keeping track and it’s really great. Something happened over Christmas break and we are very excited about that.”

But for now, the focus is on the Olympics, with possible games against the United States and Canada looming in the next round.

“We just have to play our best and see what happens,” Alder said. “To win two Olympic medals would be a dream.”